Re: 5k Alternator (Was 5k Battery)

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

Ken sent: 

> The alt showed 12.5 volts at idle (no auxiliary electrics turned on.) Then I 
> switched on the A/C blower. Wow! Voltage dropped to 8.5 volts, then recovered
> but fluctuated between 10.5 and 12.5 volts. The AutoZone guy said my alternator was
> okay, but it wasn't able to charge the battery when I was doing alot of stop
> and go driving. I find this hard to believe since I never had this problem
> when I lived in Tucson AZ and had to deal with serious heat. 

The Auto Zone guy sound well intentioned but wrong.  IHNSHO, 12.5 at 
idle is about 1 volt too low...especially for an engine with 
essentially no load on it.  Autos don't actually run at 12 volts, 
they do so at 13.5 to 14 volts.  I think the alternator - OR voltage 
regulator - is bad.  Don't know whether voltage regulator is internal
to the alternator or not in this model, but I kinda wonder about it.

I recommend rebuilding your existing alternator VS buying a rebuilt.  
A good shop can do the rebuild in one day and you know what you have 
afterwards....and the mounting holes are all in the right place!!




********** A Washington State Cougar in Aggieland (aTm) **********

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
Ag Communications                   Fax:    409/862-1202
Texas A&M University                Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
W3 page - http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/rpe/alpage.htm

Def: Bureaucrat - any person who has to dial "9" to get an outside 
phone line.  (like me.......)
*******************************************************************